I thought I would share bits and pieces of my life. I am a lifelong Christian. I have been married for over 37 years to Stan. No children. We have 2 Miniature Pinschers named MoneyPenny and Spunky Monkey and 3 Italian Greyhounds named Persephone, Dresden and Capodimonte. We have 9 nieces/nephews and 7 grandnieces/nephews whom we love. My hobbies are genealogy, reading, digital scrapbooking, history, dogs, homemaking.

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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Rev. Moses Freeman and Mary Fannie Ball

Rev. Moses Freeman and Mary Fannie Ball has a daughter named...
...Mary Jane Freeman who married Rev. William Rees and they had a son named...
......Green Hill Reese who married Tabitha Jane Freeman and they had a son named...
.........William Hanes Reese who married Nancy Rebecca Lunsford and they had a son named...
............Bailey Bright Reese who married Lillian Vianna Conner and they had a son named...
...............Wilford William Reese who married Geneva Margaret Lamb and they had a daughter named...
..................Eleanor Elaine Reese who married William Avery Huneycutt and they had ME!

Rev. Moses Freeman was born 9/14/1774 in Wilkes County, NC to Aaron Freeman, Sr. (1745-1825) and Mary Bentley (Abt 1745-Bet 1830 and 1833). About 1793 he married Mary Fannie Ball. Mary Fannie Ball was born about 1778 in Wilkes County, NC to Daniel Ball (Abt 1745 - Abt 1794) and Elizabeth Osborne (? - ?).

1800 U.S. Census of Bertie, North Carolina; Roll: 30; Page: 44; Image: 51; Family History Library Film: 337906, "Moses Freeman", living next door to his father and uncles
Name: Moses Freeman
Free White Males 10 to 15: 2
Free White Males 16 to 25: 1
Free White Males 45 and Over : 1
Free White Females 16 to 25 : 1
Free White Females 45 and Over : 1
Number of Slaves: 14
Number of Household Members Under 16 : 2
Number of Household Members Over 25 : 2
Number of Household Members: 6

In 1806, Moses Freeman moved his family to Buncombe County. The county was formed in 1791 from parts of Burke County and Rutherford County. It was named for Edward Buncombe, a colonel in the American Revolutionary War, who was captured at the Battle of Germantown. In 1808 the western part of Buncombe County became Haywood County. In 1833 parts of Burke County and Buncombe County were combined to form Yancey County, and in 1838 the southern part of what was left of Buncombe County became Henderson County. In 1851 parts of Buncombe County and Yancey County were combined to form Madison County. Finally, in 1925 the Broad River township of McDowell County was transferred to Buncombe County. It's county seat is Asheville.

He preached his first sermon at B. Gregory's in what is now Madison County, NC on John 11:44. This same year he was involved in the organization of the French Broad Baptist Association.

In 1812 he and his family moved their membership to Little Ivy Baptist Church, in what is now Madison County, NC. In that same year he was a delegate from Little Ivy Baptist Church to French Broad Baptist Association. He was ordained on 8 Aug 1812 at Little Ivy Baptist Church. The coordinates are: Latitude: 35° 50' 3.48" N , Longitude: 82° 31' 32.81" W

In 1818 he became the pastor and a charter member of the newly formed Bull Creek Baptist Church. He served as this church's pastor until his death in 1859. The Bull Creek Baptist Church is still alive and they have the original (or similar) log church beside the current church and it is kept as a museum for the church history. The coordinates are: Latitude: 35° 49' 18.79" N, Longitude: 82° 34' 38.50" W , Bull Creek Baptist Church, 237 Bull Creek Rd., Mars Hill, Madison County, NC 28754.

In 1834 he began pastoring at Newfound Baptist Church, Buncombe County, NC. There is a Newfound Baptist Church in Leicester but their website did not contain any of the church history so I don't know if this is the same church or not. I didn't find another Newfound Baptist Church.

Mary Fannie Ball Freeman died around 1845. Moses remarried to Elizabeth Jarvis Ball"Betsy" in 1845. Betsy Jarvis had previously been married to Joel Ball who had died about 1843. Joel was the son of Jabez Ball. Betsy and Joel Ball had 7 children: Alsey, Mandy, Noah, Nancy, Merinda, Celia Ann, James Manley. We have a marriage settlement between Moses and Betsy dated 28 Dec 1845.

DEED BOOK 23, PAGE 302, BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. ARCHIVES, DATED DECEMBER 28, 1845
"Agreement between Moses Freeman and Elizabeth (Jarvis) Ball"
"A order of agreement entered into between Moses Freeman and Elizabeth Ball previous to the sollemnizing the rights of matrimony. The conditions is such that the said Moses Freeman takes the following property, vz.: One horse worth $40; 22 head of hogs $32; 5 head cattle $32; 9 head sheep $10; and household and kitchen furniture $60/$174. The above amount of one hundred and seventy four dollars, the property of sd. Elizabeth Ball, and I the sd. Moses Freeman do have and to take the above named property, and hold it subject to the use of sd. Elizabeth Ball or her heirs at her or my death. Given under our hands and seals this 28 of December 1845 in presence of: D.E. Freeman, Jurratt, William Fortner, James Rector. Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, April Term, 1846."

In 1848 he began pastoring at Walnut Baptist Church, Buncombe County, NC.

1850 U.S. Census of Buncombe County, North Carolina; Roll M432_622; Page: 268B; Image: 164, Lines 38-41 and next pg Line 1, "Freeman, Moses"Freeman, Moses, 77 yrs old (DOB would be about 1773), M(ale), W(hite), Bapt. Clergyman, $450 Real Estate Value, Born in NCFreeman, Elizabeth, 50 yrs old (DOB would be about 1800), F, W, Born in NCBall, Nancy, 22 yrs old (DOB would be about 1828), F, W, Born in NCBall, Marinda (sic), 18 yrs old (DOB would be about 1832), F, W, Born in NCBall, Coena (sic, should be Celia), 17 yrs old (DOB would be about 1833), F, W, Born in NC

In 1852, he began pastoring at Bear Creek Baptist Church, Madison County, NC. I found two Bear Creek churches. I don't know if these are the same or which one. They are both on Bear Creek Rd. One is a tiny white clapboard church and the other is a tiny brick church.

Rev. Moses Freeman died 18 Jan 1859 in Madison County, NC and he is buried in the Freeman Family Cemetery off Lower Brush Creek Rd. The coordinates are: Latitude: 35° 50' 23.58" N , Longitude: 82° 43' 51.60" W . It's an unmarked cemetery that is not kept up and the graves are now unmarked with the rocks that used to mark them piled under a tree. There is supposedly 5 graves there. It is on private property and there shouldn't be any trespassing. I think Mary Fannie Freeman and Elizabeth Freeman are also buried there and supposedly 2 of his children.

At the time of his death, Rev. Moses Freeman owned a large amount of property, including land and slaves. He died intestate, meaning without a will, and the estate reportedly went into dispute. Madison County, NC probate records for the estate of Rev. Moses Freeman in 1859 named surviving children as: (son) Green H. Freeman; (daughter) Lydia, wife of Joshua Rubalm (sic, should be Roberts); (daughter) Mary, wife of William Rees; (son) Moses Freeman; (daughter) Susan, wife of William Henderson; and (son) Elisha Freeman. Deceased children named in the probate record included: (son) William Freeman, married to Ann Cathey, and (daughter) Ailsay (sic, should be Alcey), married to William Blackwell. William Freeman’s heirs were named as children: Lazarus Freeman, Hugh Freeman, Loreno Freeman [HIS GIVEN NAME APPROXIMATED FROM DIFFICULT TO READ CURSIVE DOCUMENT, SO IT MAY ACTUALLY BE SOMETHING OTHER THAN “LORENO”.], and Maria Cornwell [THE WIFE OF RICHARD HENRY CORNWELL, ALSO KNOWN AS “MARY”]. Heirs of Alsey (Freeman) Blackwell were named as: (spouse) William Blackwell; D.A. Blackwell, E.C. Blackwell, N.R. Blackwell, L.L. Blackwell, M.M. Blackwell, and Lydia Blackwell [THE LATTER THREE IDENTIFIED AS UNDER THE AGE OF MAJORITY]. Rev. Moses Freeman’s grandson, Lazarus (married to Rhoda "Rhody" Freeman), filed a document giving a lawyer in Madison Co., North Carolina Power of Attorney on his behalf to represent him in obtaining his portion of his deceased father’s estate.

**Note from Alice Pierson-Forest/Freeman Family, dated 9/11/2013
There are those who believe that this same Lazarus was the son of Isaac and Spicey which I believe more on what you have here than I do finding Lazarus in the Isaac family.
I can envision the story of Isaac and Lazarus taking the slaves and moving on to Akansas where they are both found, but not as Father and Son. Rhoda can be found amoung people's findings in Isaac's household. If William died in 1858 before Moses death in 1859, then maybe he was too sickly to go on the journeyon through Missouri and Arkansas for the task they undertook taking Indians with them and moving them to the Oklahoma/Arkansas New Territories. Just a thought I have. Lazarus being a young lad, and Rhoda going anyway with Father and siblings, could have married Lazarus easily, even though they were cousins.
The Tale states:
Isaac was involved in the "Trail of Tears" leading (Creek ?) Indians out of North Carolina. In 1845 he first removed from Buncombe County, North Carolina settling 2 miles north of Lurton near Tarleton Cemetery. With slaves brought with him from North Carolina, he proved and received title to his land. Row 1, Plot 8 of Tarleton Cemetery contains a Freeman black woman believed to have been the first burial in the cemetery about 1865. Tradition around Lurton says the slave was helping Isaac put out a fire used to clear ground. Drinking cold spring water after being overheat ed she died of a heat stroke and was the first person to be buried in the Tarleton Cemetery. She is reported to have been one of Isaac Freeman 's slaves brought with him from North Carolina with her child. A marker is on the grave in the southeast corner of the Tarlton Cemetery with t he inscription "Freeman Colored Woman."
Name: Rhoda "Rhody" Freeman
· Sex: F
· Birth: ABT 1834 in North Carolina
· Death: BEF 8 AUG 1865
· Reference Number: 24208
· Note: 1. Rhoda died before Lazarus returned home from the Civil War according to Charles Harris of Ft. Douglas who stated he was present when "Rhody" Freeman died and he helped bury her.
Others are convinced that William was Lazarus' Father and not Isaac. But without following them from NC to Arkansas..and the record you have copy of, Mose's Will, one could not determine the facts.**

Moses Freeman and his wife and some of his children were buried in the "Moses Freeman Family Cemetery". There were only about 5 graves there and it's about lost. My husband, father and I found it but it's on private land. I took good photos so you don't have to run the risk of trespassing to see it. It's slogging through a creek and up a steep ridge.

This photo shows the little intersection. Across from the intersection is a creek, meadow and a wooded ridge. It's up that ridge beneath a big tree and a big rock.

This is the meadow. The creek runs between the road and the meadow.

Here is the bottom of the wooded ridge you have to climb.

My Dad is waiting for me to quit taking photos and slog through the creek. My feet were wet and cold the rest of the day.

This is the crest of the ridge. The ridge follows up to the backyard of a private home.
This picture is taken from farther up the ridge, looking back towards the graves and the road. The graves are smack in the middle of the photo, in the background, about where the dead tree is. The graves are grouped. The rocks that did cover the graves have been removed and stacked. The graves are barely discernible.

Standing at the big tree and rock where the graves are and looking back up the ridge.

Remember, this is private property and we were able to meet the owner. I hope these photos will document the gravesites and you are welcome to click on the photos, and then right click on the photos and "Save As" to your own computer. You won't find any more there than we did. It's sad that they are almost lost.

For more information on Moses Freeman's parents see my post on Aaron Freeman

If you have any corrections, comments or further information, please contact me at Mom25dogs@gmail.com

3 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Very nice. How far in to the Freeman line have you gone. I am from Lydia Freeman and Joshua Roberts. Thru Elisha Milas Roberts md Nancy Jane Blackstock,their son Elisha Milas Roberts Md Martha Rachel Miller. I like the information you have giving. May I copy. I am doning Family History for my Grandchildren Thank You qbstamp@hotmail.com

Glad to see documentation to prove this line. I had found the documentation that you show. Although I don't see any docs to prove that William Freeman was m. to Anne Cathey. I am descended from William. Could you tell me how you proved his wife as Anne Cathy? That would be very helpful to me since I have never found the proof for William's wife. Hopefully you can help me. Thanks

thanks for the look at the pictures.i am kevin freeman son of bobby joe,conrad nelson,william riley,lazarus,william,moses freeman can you take me back any more generations.thank you kevin freeman lamar Arkansas e-mail kfreeman001@centurytel.net